Lancashire County Cricket Club has apologised after a fan was asked to leave Old Trafford during the final day of the England-India Test match for refusing to cover his Pakistan cricket team jersey.
The fan, Farooq Nazar, posted a video on social media showing a member of Lancashire staff requesting him to cover his green Pakistan shirt. Nazar declined and was later escorted out by police officers.
According to a statement from Lancashire, the fan was “asked to leave the stadium by stewards and police officers due to unacceptable behaviour directed towards the stewarding team.”
The club also mentioned that the situation was influenced by an incident a day earlier involving Pakistani and Indian fans, where the waving of a Pakistan flag had caused tension in the stands. That situation was defused after stewards politely asked fans to put the flag away.
“Firstly, we wish to make it clear that there was no intention to remove the individual simply for wearing a Pakistan cricket shirt,” the club said.
“The approach taken was informed by an incident on Saturday, during which a group of supporters waved a Pakistan national flag, leading to tensions with nearby Indian fans. In that case, our stewards were able to de-escalate the situation by respectfully asking the individuals to put the flag away, which they did without hesitation,” the statement added.
“In light of this context, our team adopted a precautionary, safety-first approach on Sunday. A stand supervisor politely asked the individual to cover his shirt in the interest of his own safety and to avoid any potential escalation. Despite several courteous requests from the supervisor and the response team, the individual repeatedly declined to comply,” the club concluded.
The incident has drawn criticism online, with many calling the removal unfair. It also comes at a time when political tensions between India and Pakistan are high, following a recent military clash in May.
Cricketing relations between the two countries remain strained, with no bilateral series since 2012–13 and no Test series since 2007–08.
Earlier this week, diplomatic tensions spilled into sport when India Champions refused to play against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, forfeiting two matches, including a semi-final.
